Sabarimala witnessed heavy rush as large number of devotees turned up to worship the deity at the Lord Ayyappa Temple on the new year day of the Malayalam month of Chingom on Thursday.
The rituals began with the chief priest (Tantri) performing the Ashtadravya Ganapati homom in the morning.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) offered a Veda Laksharchana at the temple in the forenoon. Another Laksharchana will be held at the Maha Ganapati Temple at Pampa on Friday.
A Kalabhabhishekom was offered to the deity amid the Utchapuja. The golden urn carrying the specially prepared sandal paste (kalabhom) was taken out in a procession in the forenoon. The kalabhom offered to the deity was distributed as prasadom among the devotees.
Ashtabhishekom, Udayasthamanapuja, Pushpabhishekom, and Padipuja were the other important rituals performed at the temple.
Governor visits temple
Governor P. Sathasivam was among those who offered prayers at the temple on Thursday.
TDB president Prayar Gopalakrishnan received the Governor on his arrival at Pampa.
Special rituals
Sahasrakalasabhishekom, Kalabhabhishekom, Ashtabhishekom, Pushpabhishekom and PadipUja will be performed at the temple on all the remaining four days from August 18 to 21.
The temple will be closed after the Athazhapuja on August 21.
Onam festival
The temple will be reopened on September 2 afternoon for the Onam festival to be held from September 3 to 6.
